Press roll assembly



June 27, 1950 HoRNBosTEL PRESS ROLL ASSEMBLY June 27, 1950 l L. HoRNBosTEL 2,512,648

PRESS ROLL ASSEMBLY Filed May 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fm1/Em 2221-'r l L a ro Hoax/505727.

Patented June 27, 1950 PRESS ROLL ASSEMBLY Lloyd Hornbostel, Beloit, Wis.,` 'assigner to Beloit Iron Works, Beloit, Wis., acorporation of Wisconsin Application May 5, 1945, Serial No. 592,236

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a press roll assembly and more particularly to a uid pressure controlled horizontal press roll assembly for use in machines for making paper and similar fibrous web material.

It has heretofore been customary in press roll assemblies'for paper machines to effect the pressure `contact between the rolls by the use of screw mechanisms acting through compression springs. It is dilcult, however, by the use of such mechanisms to insure the proper amount of pressure lbetween the rolls or to gauge the amount of Apressure that is being exerted, so that not infrequently unequalpressures obtain at different lpoints along the lines of contact between .the rolls.

In accordance with my present invention, the amount of pressure between the surfaces of cooperating press rolls is readily controlled through the medium of uid pressure actuated mechanism, such as diaphragms. Means are provided forcontrolling the amount of fluid pressure acting upon the diaphragms and thus for accurately controlling the degree of pressure between the contacting surfaces of the press rolls. Pressure indicating gauges serve to indicate the amount of iiuid pressure exerted against the diaphragms, whereby any desired amount of pressure can be 4set up and maintained during the operation of the press assembly.v In this way, unequal pressure at the ends of the press rolls' can be avoided, with the result that a more uniform and eflicient operation of the press roll assembly in the removal of water from paper webs and the like -can be realized. v j It is therefore an important object of this invention to provide a press roll assembly in which V`fluid pressure actuated means are utilized for Figure 1 is an end elevational view, partly broken awayvand in section, illustrating -a horizontal press roll assembly of my invention. I

Figure 2 is a broken, sectional View,y taken along the broken line II-,ll of Figure 1. y

Figure 3 is a View partly in section and partly diagrammatic illustrating the fluid pressure system including the diaphragms for operating the press roll assembly.

As shown on the drawings: y vThe reference numeral I0 indicates generally a base for a three-roll horizontal press roll assembly embodying the features of my invention. While this invention will be described in connection with a horizontal press roll assembly` such as illustrated in the drawings, it will be understood that vthe use of iuicl pressure actuated Ymeans for controlling the pressurebetween the rolls of a press assembly is applicable to assemblies Of two or more press rolls, arranged either horizontally or in vertical alignment. l

The base Ill includes a, central upstanding por tion II on which is stationarily mounted an end bearing I2 for an end of a stationary roll I3. A similar base and upright standard serves to support a similar bearing at the other end of said roll I3. f

Cooperating press rolls I4 and' I5 are mounted upon opposite sides of the stationary roll I3 with their axes on approximately the same horizontal line as the axis of the stationary roll I3. Since each of said rolls I4 and l5 is similarly mounted, only one mounting will be described.

The mounting for roll I4 comprises a pair of upright members I6, one at each end of the roll I4, each of which is pivotally mounted at its lower end upon a pivot pin I'I supported inthe base I 0. The uprights I6 at their upper ends support the bearing housings i3 for the ends of the roll I4. Each of said uprights ISv is extended above said bearing housings It to provide a pair of arms I9. Each of said 'pairs ofv arms I9 has an indentation 20 formed in the edges 2l away from the stationary roll I3, the purpose of which indentation will later appear.

The bearing housings I2 of the roll i3 are provided with oppositely disposed extensions 22, `22 on the sides toward the rolls Ill and I5, respectively. Said extensions 22, 22 are bifurcated and provided with horizontal aligned bores forreceiving fulcrum pins 23, 23. Levers 24, 24 are pivotally mounted intermediate their ends upon said fulcrum pins 23, 23, respectively. Said levers 24, 24 are provided at their upper ends with segmental spherical notches 25, 25 along the edges facing each other. Pins 26, 23 are .normallyreceived in said notches 25, 25. Said pins 26, 25 are mounted in the side walls of cupped housings 21, 21 carried by shafts or rods 28, 28. Each of the rods 28, 28 has a smooth intermediate portion, 29, 29, and a threaded portion 30, 38. Collars 3|, 3I are mounted on the intermediate portions 29, 29 for free sliding movement therealong. Said xcollars 3l, 3| have integrally formed extensions 32, 32 that partially enclose the rods 28, 28 and that 'have side anges on either side of said rods 28, 28 that are formed with pointed abutments 33, 33 for cooperation with the recesses 20, 2li in the pairs of upstanding ears I3, I9. Nuts 34, 34 are threaded 0upon the extended threaded ends 3B, 38 of said rods '28, 28. Said nuts 34, 34 are provided with handles 35, 35 for their manual manipulation.

The rods 28, 28 thus serve as connections between the upper ends yof the pivotally mounted standards i6, I6 and the upper ends of the pivotally mounted levers 24, 24. It is understood, of course, that the .construction described is duplicated at both ends of the set of horizontal press rolls, I4, I3 and I5. By tightening upon the nuts 34, 34, the rolls I4 and I5 can be drawn into contact with the intermediate stationary roll I3.

The diaphragm mechanisms for controlling the amount of pressure contact between said rolls I4 and I3, and said rolls I and I3, will now be described.

The lower ends of the levers 24, 24 extend downwardly into housings 35, 35 that are mounted upon the standards il, II. Said lever lower lends carry circular plates 33, which are adapted to bear against diaphragms 31. Said diaphragms 3l are peripherally clamped within the housings 35 to provide iiuid pressure chambers 38 on the opposite side of the diaphragme 31 from the lever end plates 36. Fluid conducting connections are established with the pressure chambers 38 by means of passages 39 extending through the walls of the standard II.

As best shown in Figure 3 the diaphragms 35 are connected to a uid pressure system that includes a main supply line 43, a three-way valve .1,

4I in said supply line and provided with an exhaust line 42, the branch pipe lines 43, 43 and 44, 44, in which are mounted check valves 45, 45 and reducing valves 46, 46, respectively. Said branch lines 43 and 44 are connected to lines of piping 41, 41, in which are positioned pressure indicating gauges 48, 43. The ends of said piping 4l, 41 are connected to the passages 39 leading to the fluid pressure chambers 38, 38.

In operation, a web of wet paper or ber, indicated by the reference character W, is trained over the surface of the roll i4, which may be a suction roll, into the nip N between the rolls I4 and I3, around the under side of the roll I3 and upwardly into the nip N between the rolls I3 and i5. From the roll I5, the web W may go to another press section or to a drier section. The pressure to be set up between the several rolls I4 and I3, and I5 and I3, will depend upon various factors, such as the moisture content of the web entering the horizontal press roll assembly, the weight of the sheet and the character of the stock. Ordinarily, the paper machine operator will know from previ-ous experience the amount of pressure that should be used, and will adjust the reducing valves 46, 48 until the gauges 48, 48 show that the desired amount of pressure is being maintained.

' As is obvious, the fluid pressure within the chambers 38 acts against the diaphragms .31,

4 which in turn press directly against the lower lever end pads 36. As the fluid pressure within the chambers 38 is increased, the diaphragms 31 are caused to flex outwardly, moving the lower lever end pads 36 in the same direction. Such movement of the lower ends of the levers 24 causes the upper ends of said levers to move toward each other and thus apply tension upon the rods 28, tending to draw the rolls I4 and I3, and the rolls I5 and I3 to bear against each other with pressures corresponding with those established in the uuid pressure chambers 38. By observing the gauges 43, the operator can set up any desired amounts ,of pressure between the several rolls and can maintain the desired amounts of pressure during the continued operation of the press .roll assembly.

When it is desired to release the pressure between the several rolls of the press roll assembly, the three-way valve 4I is turned to exhaust through the exhaust pipe 42, thereby shutting off the supply line 4G, and the fluid pressureis yreleased through the check valve 45 and the threeway valve 4l into the exhaust line 42. When not in operation, pressure between the several rolls of the assembly may be reduced to nothing by backing oif the nuts 34. Although the nuts 34 are shown as manually operable, motor operated ratchet means may be substituted for the hand operated type. As shown in Figure l, the pivots ll are inside of vertical planes passed through the axes of press rolls I4 and I5 even when-these rolls are in operative pressure relation with the middle roll I3, The press rolls therefore swing outwardly, by the actionv of ygravity, away-trom the middle roll whenever pressure on the diaphragms is released, or whenever the nuts'34 rare backed oif. l

It should be noted yby `reference to Figure l-.that the diaphragme 3T have only a slight amount of freedom of movement in either direction. The outer wail of the housing 35 limits movement in one direction, and the frame II acts as a stop in the other direction. By limiting the lengthof travel, or the amount of displacement,` of lthe diaphrgam, the diaphragm may be of relatively heavy, thick, resilient material, such as arubber composition. This in turn, permits the "use of fairly high pressures, of the order of 50 lbs. per sq. in., and therefore permits the use of .small diameter diaphragm mechanisms.

Since the amount of relative movement between the rolls of the press assembly permitted bythe slight movements of the diaphragme would not be sunicient for the handling of the rolls when putting on relts `and for other operations, `the mechanical ratchets including the "nuts 534- have been provided. Before starting a run of paper through the press roll assembly, the ratchets would be pulled up until the rolls I4, i3' and I5 are approximately together and then iuid -pressure1 on the diaphragms 31 would be relied upon to complete the bringing of the rolls together and to set up the desired amount of pressure contact therebetween. Y

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not .the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A paper making machine press .rollassembly, comprising a middle roll, a stationary lmounting supporting said roll for rotation about a fixed horizontal axis, a roll on each side of said middle roll mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, pivoted supports for said side rolls positioned to swing the axes of said side rolls into substantially horizontal alignment with the axis of said middle roll when the rolls are in operative pressure relationship, said pivoted supports having pivot points lying inside of vertical planes passing through the axes of said side rolls when said rolls are in operative pressure relationship, whereby said side rolls tend to swing outwardly from said middle roll under the action of gravity, rods arranged substantially horizontally one on each side of said middle roll and connected intermediate its ends to the corresponding upper end of one of said pivoted supports, screw mechanisms one on the outer end oi each rod for shortening the effective length thereof, generally vertical levers one pivoted intermediate its ends to said intermediate roll mounting on each side of said middle roll and connected at its upper end to the inner end of the rod on the same side of said middle roll, and fluid pressure actuated diaphragm means acting through said vertical levers upon said side rolls to resist gravity action and maintain said side rolls in operative pressure relationship with said middle roll.

2. A paper making machine press roll assembly comprising a stationary roll-supporting standard, a middle roll mounted for rotation on a fixed horizontal axis on said standard, a pair of axially aligned uprights on each side of said middle roll, a press roll rotatably supported by each pair of uprights for rotation about horizontal axes, pivotal supports for each pair of uprights to swingably support the uprights for carrying the press rolls into pressure relationship on opposite sides of the middle roll and with the axes of all three pivotal supports for each press roll lying closer to the middle roll than the axis of the press roll supported thereby even when the press roll is in pressure engagement with the middle roll so that each press roll tends to move laterally away from the middle roll under the action of gravity, and linkage assemblies between said uprights and said standard for holding the press rolls in pressure relation with the middle roll, said linkage asseniblies including horizontal rods having threaded outer ends, take-up members threaded on said outer ends, vertical levers pivoted intermediate their ends to said standard and at their upper ends to the inner ends of Said horizontal rods, and fluid pressure actuated diaphragms through said vertical levers to accurately control the pressure between the rolls.

LLOYD HORNBOSTEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,699,641 Vasel Jan. 22, 1929 2,209,756 Berry July 30, 1940 2,330,889 Holcomb Oct. 5, 1943 2,348,345 Hornbostel May A9, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 44,151 Sweden July 2, 1917 59,659 Norway July 25, 1938 698,111 Germany Nov. l, 1940 OTHER REFERENCES The Paper Mill and Paper Pulp News, pp. 47 and 51, Oct. 24, 1936, The Beloit Horizontal rolls in substantial horizontal alignment, said Press by V. S. Dennison.

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